Terminal block



Oct. 25,l 1966 R. M. EMERsoN TERMINAL BLOCK Filed June 4, 1964 United States Patent O 3,281,759 TERMINAL BLOCK Robert M. Emerson, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor to Emerson, Johnson, Mackay Inc., North Hollywood, Calif., a corporation of California Filed June 4, 1964, Ser. No. 372,474 3 Claims. (Cl. 339-97) This invention relates to a terminal block particularly adapted for connecting an antenna to an electromagnetic transmitter or receiver.

While this invention may be used in a multitude of ways, it is especially adapted for use with a twin lead antenna wire and will be described with that use in mind.

A twin lead antenna wire generally has a pair of spaced conductors held in position by an envelope of insulating material covering both conductors and joining them to form a continuous strip. Each conductor consists of a number of very small strands of conducting material such as copper.

The twin lead antenna wire is very commonly used for domestic television receivers and FM radio receivers. In connecting such an antenna wire to a receiver it was the practice to strip the insulation from each of the conductors. This is a difficult task for the average home owner.

It is quite common today to move television sets and like devices with their appended antenna to various locations in a room or from room to room to suit arrangement or convenience. In order to transfer the position of a receiver, it is usually necessary to remove the antenna wire which necessitates the disengagement of a pair of terminal screws mounted on the rear of the receiver. This .assembling and disassembling operation tends to fray the exposed conductor and make the reassembly at best difiicult. Constant fraying requires restripping of the antenna or else the signal received on the antenna may be diminished appreciably.

While others have recognized the desirability of using a terminal block for coupling the twin lead antenna to a receiver, the answers proposed by others have been lacking in simplicity, low cost, and reliability.

I have discovered a terminal block which is extremely simple in construction and which eliminates most of the problems existing today in linking an antenna to a receiver. The structure is of such an arrangement which allows the various components to be self supporting during assembly. My terminal block allows the terminal block to be self supporting upon the receiver terminals which speeds the installation of the terminal block and antenna upon the receiver.

One feature of the invention is directed to a terminal block body which has an opening and a coacting channel which alines the antenna in position with a pair of connectors mounted upon the terminal block.

Another important feature of the invention is directed to a pair of conductive arms which are self supporting when mounted within cavities of the terminal block body. The conductive arms are also spring like in character and are self supporting when placed upon a pair of receiver terminals.

Another feature of the invention is directed to the shape of the conductive connecting arms on a terminal block which holds the terminal block away from the receiver and prevents accidental short circuiting of the signal carried by the antenna.

Another feature of the invention is directed to a fastening means which both provides electrical contact with the antenna and secures the conductive arms and the antenna against the terminal body.

One aspect of my invention includes an insulated body for supporting a twin conductor antenna wire. A pair of ice spaced conductive arms are secured to the body and have extremities that individually engage the respective receiver terminals. A contact means releasably connects the antenna conductors to the respective conductive arms.

Other features and advantages of my invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following specification and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a terminal block constructed according to my invention mounted upon a receiver and coupled with a twin lead antenna;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the terminal block illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the terminal block illustrated in FIGS. l and 2 shown `in a mounted position upon a receiver; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the terminal block, the section taken along line 4 4 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to all the iigures, a terminal block 10 includes a body 12 having a pair of conductive arms 14 and 16 extending therefrom for mounting the terminal block 10 upon a receiver 18. A conventional twin lead antenna 20 is coupled to the terminal block 1,0 by a pair of washers 22 and 24 that are retained against the body 12 by a pair of individual fastening means 26 and 28.

The terminal block body 12 is formed in a generally rectangular shape and has .a rectangular opening 30 formed therein of such a size to permit the antenna lead wire 20 to pass therethrough. A tapered rectangular channel 32 is aligned with the opening 30 and helps guide the antenna wire 20 with the washers 22 and 24 during assembly. The body 12 is formed from an insulating material and in the preferred embodiment is fabricated from a molded plastic such as acrylic resin, Bakelite, or the like.

The antenna lead wire 20 includes a pair of conductors 34 and 36 held in spaced relation by an envelope of dieelectric material 38. The conductors 34 and 36 Vare completely covered -by the material 38.

The conductive arms 16 are symmetrically shaped and formed from Ia spring wire such that the arms may be biased. The arms 14 and 16 have irst extremities 40 and 42 which are generally U-shaped in character and which respectively are mounted within a pair of cavities 44 and 46 formed in the body 12. The extremities 40 and 42 are biased within their respecive cavities 44 and 46 so as to be self supporting when mounted within the cavities during the assembly of the terminal block 10. A second extremity 48 and 50 have an outwardly extending depression 48A and 50A which are shaped in the form of a hook, each directed toward the other. The extremities 48 and 50 are biased towards each other such that when the terminal block 1()` is mounted upon the receiver 18, the extremities 48 and 50 encompass and engage a pair of terminal screws 52 and 54 and are in electrical engagement therewith. Sin-ce the extremities 48 and 50 are biased toward each other, the terminal screws 52 and 54 need not be tightened against the receiver 18 although for precautionary purposes it is `best to do so.

Both arms 14 and 16 are bent at point A to deflect the terminal body 10 away from the receiver 18 and preferably the angle of deiiecticn is 30 or more. The purpose of this deflection is to prevent accidental short circuiting or grounding of the signal carried by the antenna wire 2t) against the receiver 18 where the receiver has an all metal cabinet.

The fastening means 26, 28 include a pair of screws 56 and 58 that clamp the arms 14 and 16 against the body 12 and extend through the opposite sides of the body such that the washers 22 and 24 are mounted thereon. The wing nuts 61 and 62 force the washers 22 and 24 in clamping relation against the antenna 20.

The Washers 22 and 24 are cup-like in shape and have a series of saw tooth serrations 60 formed thereon. Thus, it is evident that with the antenna 20 disposed beneath the washers 22 and 24 that the rotation of the nuts 61 and 62 forces the serrations 60 into electrical contact with the conductors 34 and 36 in the antenna.

What is claimed is:

1. A terminal block for connecting a twin lead antenna wire having a pair of spaced conductors embedded in an insulated material to a pair of terminals on a receiver comprising:

an insulated body,

means mounted on `the body for making electrical contact to the conductors through the antenna wire insulation and securing the antenna wire to the insulated body, and

a pair of spaced conductive arms each individually coupled Ito the contact making and securing means and extending from the body, wherein each of the pair of conductive arms have a hook formed thereon to engage the pair of receiver terminals,

the arms each have a deformed extremity,

the body has a Cavity which receives the arms, and the deformed extremity is biased against the walls of the body defining the -cavity to permit the arms to be self suppporting on the body.

2. A terminal block for connecting a twin lead antenna wire having a pair of spaced conductors embedded in an insulated material to a pair of terminals on a receiver comprising:

an insulated body defining an opening for receiving an antenna wire,

the body dening a channel tapered toward and extending into the opening and having a width the same size as the opening to act as a guide for the antenna,

the body having a pair of cavities defined by walls,

a pair of spaced conductive arms each having a U shaped extremity Within one of the body cavities and biased outwardly against the body cavity walls in a self supporting manner,

a pair of conductive fasteners extending through the body and individually disposed within the arm U shaped extremity,

the fasteners having a head which clamps the arm extremity against the body,

a conductive Washer having an antenna wire conductor wire having a pair of spaced conductors embedded in an insulated material to a pair of terminals on a receiver comprising:

an insulated body having an opening large enough for the antenna to pass therethrough,

the body having an antenna guide channel tapered toward and extending into the opening,

the body having a pair of cavities `defined by walls,

a pair of spaced conductive arms each having a U shaped extremity each extending Within one of the body cavities;

the arm extremities being individually biased outwardly against the body cavity walls in a self supporting manner,

the pair of conductive arms being spaced from each other and having a hook formed thereon to engage the pair of receiver terminals,

the conductive arms being formed from a spring material and being biased toward each other,

a pair of spaced screws passing through the body and including a head which abuts and clamps the arms to the body,

a pair of washers mounted on the screws and including antenna penetrating teeth thereon for making contact with the antenna wire conductors through the antenna wire insulation and securing the antenna wire to the `body, and

a pair of nuts threaded on the screws for urging the washers against the body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner. `PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Examiner.

I. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TERMINAL BLOCK FOR CONNECTING A TWIN LEAD ANTENNA WIRE HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED CONDUCTORS EMBEDDED IN AN INSULATED MATERIAL TO A PAIR OF TERMINALS ON A RECEIVER COMPRISING: AN INSULATED BODY, MEANS MOUNTED ON THE BODY FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONTACT TO THE CONDUCTORS THROUGH THE ANTENNA WIRE INSULATION AND SECURING THE ANTENNA WIRE TO THE INSULATED BODY, AND A PAIR OF SPACED CONDUCTIVE ARMS EACH INDIVIDUALLY COUPLED TO THE CONTACT MAKING AND SECURING MEANS AND EXTENDING FROM THE BODY, WHEREIN EACH OF THE PAIR OF CONDUCTIVE ARMS HAVE A HOOK FORMED THEREON TO ENGAGE THE PAIR OF RECEIVER TERMINALS, THE ARMS EACH HAVE A DEFORMED EXTREMITY, THE BODY HAS A CAVITY WHICH RECEIVES THE ARMS, AND THE DEFORMED EXTREMITY IS BIASED AGAINST THE WALLS OF THE BODY DEFINING THE CAVITY TO PERMIT THE ARMS TO BE SELF SUPPORTING ON THE BODY. 